Carbocyclic dinucleoside polyphosphonates: interaction with HIV reverse transcriptase and antiviral activity

Novel 5'-Norcarbocyclic Pyrimidine Derivatives as Antibacterial Agents

A series of novel 5'-norcarbocyclic derivatives of 5-alkoxymethyl or 5-alkyltriazolyl-methyl uracil were synthesized and the activity of the compounds evaluated against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The growth of Mycobacterium smegmatis was completely inhibited by the most active compounds at a MIC99 of 67 μg/mL (mc²155) and a MIC99 of 6.7⁻67 μg/mL (VKPM Ac 1339). Several compounds also showed the ability to inhibit the growth of attenuated strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis ATCC 25177 (MIC99 28⁻61 μg/mL) and Mycobacterium bovis ATCC 35737 (MIC99 50⁻60 μg/mL), as well as two virulent strains of M. tuberculosis; a laboratory strain H37Rv (MIC99 20⁻50 μg/mL) and a clinical strain with multiple drug resistance MS-115 (MIC99 20⁻50 μg/mL). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) evaluation of M. tuberculosis H37Rv bacterial cells treated with one of the compounds demonstrated destruction of the bacterial cell wall, suggesting that the mechanism of action for these compounds may be related to their interactions with bacteria cell walls.

Dual-targeted anti-TB/anti-HIV heterodimers

HIV and M. tuberculosis are two intersecting epidemics making the search for new dual action drugs against both pathogens extremely important. Here, we report on the synthesis and suppressive activities of five dual-targeted HIV/TB compounds. These compounds are heterodimers of AZT, as anti-HIV molecules, and 5-substituted uracil derivatives, as anti-TB molecules. We found that these compounds inhibit the growth of M. tuberculosis and suppress the replication of HIV in human cell cultures and human lymphoid tissues ex vivo. We identified one particular heterodimer that inhibited both HIV and the drug-resistant TB strain MS-115 most potently. This compound demonstrated low toxicity and had no cytostatic effect on cells in culture, constituting an ideal candidate for future development and further in vivo testing.

Synthesis of α-brominated phosphonates and their application as phosphate bioisosteres

A review of the synthesis and biological activity of α-bromo-phosphonate groups as phosphate bioisosteres.

Design and synthesis of novel 1',3'-dioxolane 5'-deoxyphosphonic acid purine analogues as potent antiviral agents

Electronic parameters of 1',3 '-oxygen play significant roles in steering the conformation of nucleoside phosphonic acid analogues. To investigate the relationship of two oxygen atoms with antiviral enhancement, novel 1',3 '-dioxolane 5 '-deoxyphosphonic acid purine analogues were synthesized via de novo acyclic stereoselective route from acrolein and glycolic acid. The synthesized nucleoside phosphonic acid analogues 14 and 19 were subjected to antiviral screening against several viruses, such as HIV-1, HSV-1, HSV-2, and HCMV. The guanine analogue 19 exhibits in vitro anti-HIV-1 activity similar to that of 9-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)ethyl]adenine (PMEA) in MT-4 cells.

Design and synthesis of α-carboxy phosphononucleosides

Rhodium catalyzed O-H insertion reactions employing α-diazophosphonate 20 with appropriately protected thymidine, uridine, cytosine, adenosine and guanosine derivatives leads to novel 5'-phosphononucleoside derivatives. Deprotection led to a novel series of phosphono derivatives bearing a carboxylic acid moiety adjacent to the phosphonate group with potential antiviral and/or anticancer activity. The phosphononucleosides bearing an α-carboxylic acid group are envisaged as potential diphosphate mimics. Conversion to mono- and diphosphorylated phosphononucleosides has been effected for evaluation as nucleoside triphosphate mimics. Most of the novel phosphononucleosides proved to be inactive against a variety of DNA and RNA viruses. Only the phosphono AZT derivatives 56-59 showed weak activity against HIV-1 and HIV-2.

Design and profiling of GS-9148, a novel nucleotide analog active against nucleoside-resistant variants of human immunodeficiency virus type 1, and its orally bioavailable phosphonoamidate prodrug, GS-9131

GS-9148 [(5-(6-amino-purin-9-yl)-4-fluoro-2,5-dihydro-furan-2-yloxymethyl)phosphonic acid] is a novel ribose-modified human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) nucleotide reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitor (NRTI) selected from a series of nucleoside phosphonate analogs for its favorable in vitro biological properties including (i) a low potential for mitochondrial toxicity, (ii) a minimal cytotoxicity in renal proximal tubule cells and other cell types, (iii) synergy in combination with other antiretrovirals, and (iv) a unique resistance profile against multiple NRTI-resistant HIV-1 strains. Notably, antiviral resistance analysis indicated that neither the K65R, L74V, or M184V RT mutation nor their combinations had any effect on the antiretroviral activity of GS-9148. Viruses carrying four or more thymidine analog mutations showed a substantially smaller change in GS-9148 activity relative to that observed with most marketed NRTIs. GS-9131, an ethylalaninyl phosphonoamidate prodrug designed to maximize the intracellular delivery of GS-9148, is a potent inhibitor of multiple subtypes of HIV-1 clinical isolates, with a mean 50% effective concentration of 37 nM. Inside cells, GS-9131 is readily hydrolyzed to GS-9148, which is further phosphorylated to its active diphosphate metabolite (A. S. Ray, J. E. Vela, C. G. Boojamra, L. Zhang, H. Hui, C. Callebaut, K. Stray, K.-Y. Lin, Y. Gao, R. L. Mackman, and T. Cihlar, Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 52:648-654, 2008). GS-9148 diphosphate acts as a competitive inhibitor of RT with respect to dATP (K(i) = 0.8 muM) and exhibits low inhibitory potency against host polymerases including DNA polymerase gamma. Oral administration of GS-9131 to beagle dogs at a dose of 3 mg/kg of body weight resulted in high and persistent levels of GS-9148 diphosphate in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (with a maximum intracellular concentration of >9 microM and a half-life of >24 h). This favorable preclinical profile makes GS-9131 an attractive clinical development candidate for the treatment of patients infected with NRTI-resistant HIV.

[Isosteric triphosphonate analogues of dNTP: synthesis and substrate properties toward various DNA polymerases]

Isosteric triphosphonate derivatives of 2',3'-dideoxy-2',3'-didehydroadenosine and 3'-deoxy-2',3'-didehydrothymidine and their beta,gamma-substituted analogues were synthesized. Their substrate properties toward a number of reverse transcriptases of the human immunodeficiency and bird myeloblastosis viruses, human DNA polymerases alpha and beta, and the Klenow fragment of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I were studied.

[Enzymatic synthesis of bis(5'-nucleosidyl) tetra- or triphosphates]

The total fraction of aminoacyl-tRNA synthases from Escherichia coli has been shown to catalyze the synthesis of the bis(5'-nucleosidyl) oligophosphates Ap4AZT, Ap4d4T, Ap43TC, and Ap4ACV, as well as Ap3AZT and Ap3d4T, from [alpha-32P]ATP and the corresponding nucleoside-5'-tri(or di)phosphate. The resulting compounds, characterized by HPLC, are resistant to alkaline phosphatase. Ap4AZT, Ap4d4T, and Ap43TC are formed with approximately equal efficiency, whereas the efficiencies of the synthesis of Ap4ACV, Ap3AZT, and Ap3d4T are three- to fivefold lower. The English version of the paper: Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry, 2005, vol. 31, no. 6; see also http://www.maik.ru.

Design, synthesis, and antiviral activity of adenosine 5'-phosphonate analogues as chain terminators against hepatitis C virus

A series of adenosine 5'-phosphonate analogues were designed to mimic naturally occurring adenosine monophosphate. These compounds (1-5) were synthesized and evaluated in a cellular hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication assay. To improve cellular permeability and enhance the anti-HCV activity of these phosphonates, a bis(S-acyl-2-thioethyl) prodrug for compound 5 was prepared, and its cellular activity was determined. To elucidate the mechanism of action of these novel adenosine phosphonates, their diphosphate derivatives (1a-5a) were synthesized. Further nucleotide incorporation assays by HCV NS5B RNA-dependent RNA polymerase revealed that 2a and 3a can serve as chain terminators, whereas compounds 1a, 4a, and 5a are competitive inhibitors with ATP. Additional steady-state kinetic analysis determined the incorporation efficiency of 2a and 3a as well as the inhibition constants for 1a, 4a, and 5a. The structure-activity relationships among these compounds were analyzed, and the implication for nucleoside phosphonate drug design was discussed.

Synthesis of AZT 5'-triphosphate mimics and their inhibitory effects on HIV-1 reverse transcriptase

In search of active nucleoside 5'-triphosphate mimics, we have synthesized a series of AZT triphosphate mimics (AZT P3Ms) and evaluated their inhibitory effects on HIV-1 reverse transcriptase as well as their stability in fetal calf serum and in CEM cell extracts. Reaction of AZT with 2-chloro-4H-1,3,2-benzodioxaphosphorin-4-one, followed by treatment of the phosphite intermediate 2 with pyrophosphate analogues, yielded the cyclic triphosphate intermediates 4b-4f, which were subjected to boronation and subsequent hydrolysis to give AZT 5'-alpha-borano-beta,gamma-bridge-modified triphosphates 6b-6f in moderate to good yields. Reaction of the cyclic intermediate 4d with iodine, followed by treatment with a series of nucleophiles, afforded the AZT 5'-beta,gamma-difluoromethylene-gamma-substituted triphosphates (7b-7i). Several different types of AZT P3Ms containing alpha-P-thio (or dithio) and beta,gamma-difluoromethylene (13,14), alpha,beta-difluoromethylene and gamma-P-methyl(or phenyl) (15,16), and alpha-borano-beta,gamma-difluoromethylene and gamma-O-methyl/phenyl (11,12) were also synthesized. The effectiveness of the compounds as inhibitors of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase was determined using a fluorometric assay and a poly(A) homopolymer as a template. A number of AZT P3Ms exhibited very potent inhibition of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. Modifications at the beta,gamma-bridge of triphosphate rendered the AZT P3Ms 6b-6f with varied activities (K(i) from 9.5 to >>500 nM) while modification at the alpha,beta-bridge of triphosphate led to weak AZT P3M inhibitors. The results imply that the AZT P3Ms were substrate inhibitors, as is AZT triphosphate. The most active compound, AZT 5'-alpha-R(p)()-borano-beta,gamma-(difluoromethylene)triphosphate (AZT 5'-alphaB-betagammaCF(2)TP) (6d-I), is as potent as AZT triphosphate with a K(i)() value of 9.5 nM and at least 20-fold more stable than AZT triphosphate in the serum and cell extracts. Therefore, for the first time, a highly active and stable nucleoside triphosphate mimic has been identified, which is potentially useful as a new type of antiviral drug. The promising triphosphate mimic, 5'-alpha-borano-beta,gamma-(difluoromethylene)triphosphate, is expected to be valuable to the discovery of nucleotide mimic antiviral drugs.